1. Field of the Invention
The present invention relates to a liquid ejection head for ejecting liquid and a process for producing the same.
2. Description of the Related Art
An ink jet recording head applied to an ink jet recording method which conducts recording by ejecting ink onto a recording medium is a typical example of a liquid ejection head which ejects liquid. Such an ink jet recording head generally includes an ink flow path, an ejection energy generating portion provided in a part of the flow path, and an ink ejection orifice for ejecting ink using energy generated in the ejection energy generating portion.
As an example of a liquid ejection head applicable to an ink jet recording head, Japanese Patent Application Laid-Open No. H09-234871 discloses a liquid ejection head which includes an ejection orifice member having an ejection orifice with such a shape that a flow inlet of liquid is large with respect to an outlet of liquid to be ejected.
US 2005/0130075 discloses, as a process for producing an ejection orifice member having an ejection orifice with such a shape that a flow inlet of liquid is large with respect to an outlet of liquid to be ejected, a method in which a photocurable resin is subjected to exposure, with an image forming position being adjusted, on a substrate having plurality of ejection energy generating portions.
Even when the outlet of liquid is made finer, by causing the ejection orifice to be shaped so that the flow inlet of liquid is large with respect to the outlet of liquid, the flow resistance may be reduced, and problems with regard to ejection characteristics can be dealt with, for example, refill characteristics degradation may be suppressed.
In order to conduct recording of a high quality image at high speed while suppressing enlargement of a recording apparatus, in a liquid ejection head, it has been required to densely arrange ejection orifices each having fine outlet of liquid and flow paths communicating therewith, respectively.
However, when an ejection orifice member in which ejection orifices each shaped so that the flow inlet of liquid is large with respect to the outlet of liquid are densely arranged is formed in the method disclosed in US 2005/0130075, a wall which separates adjacent ejection orifices is thin on the side of the flow inlet of liquid of the ejection orifices, and thus, the strength of the ejection orifice member may be decreased.